Department for Transport

Transport Update

Andrew Stephenson: The "Golborne Link," part of the HS2 Crewe – Manchester scheme, is a proposed c.13 mile connection which would branch off the main HS2 line towards Manchester near Knutsford, in Cheshire, to rejoin the West Coast Main Line (WCML) near Golborne, just south of Wigan. Construction was due to start in the early 2030s and it was due to open in the late 2030s or early 2040s as part of the second stage of HS2 services to Scotland. In October 2020, the government established the independent Union Connectivity Review, led by the chairman of Network Rail, Sir Peter Hendy, to consider how best to improve transport connectivity between the nations of the UK. Sir Peter's final report, in November 2021, set out that the Golborne Link would not resolve all the rail capacity constraints on the WCML between Crewe and Preston. He recommended that the Government should reduce journey times and increase rail capacity between England and Scotland by upgrading the WCML north of Crewe and by doing more work on options for alternative northerly connections between HS2 and the WCML. Ahead of the Government’s response to the Union Connectivity Review, we can confirm the Government will look again at alternatives which deliver similar benefits to Scotland as the Golborne link, so long as these deliver for the taxpayer within the £96bn envelope allocated for the Integrated Rail Plan. We will look at the potential for these alternatives to bring benefits to passengers sooner, allowing improved Scotland services from Manchester and Manchester Airport, as well as from Birmingham and London. HS2 trains will continue to serve Wigan and Preston, as well as Lancaster, Cumbria and Scotland. Government therefore intends to remove the Golborne link from the High-Speed Rail (Crewe-Manchester) Bill after Second Reading. That means that we will no longer be seeking the powers to construct the link as part of this scheme. The Crewe-Manchester HS2 mainline will remain in the Bill as before. Plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail will also be unaffected. Our plans for the first-stage HS2 services to Scotland in Phases 1 and 2a of the scheme (between London and the West Midlands, and the West Midlands and Crewe) will also be unaffected, with HS2 trains operating from London to Scotland when services begin running, in the late 2020s or early 2030s. We will publish a Supplement to the January 2022 HS2 Crewe – Manchester scheme Strategic Outline Business Case, setting out the implications of removing the Golborne Link, prior to Second Reading. I am also publishing revised safeguarding Directions for the Crewe – Manchester Scheme to reflect the Bill’s limits and protect the land that may be required for the construction and operation of the high speed railway. I am maintaining safeguarding along the Golborne Link while alternatives are considered. This means we plan to keep existing compensation programmes in place for affected homeowners so that they can still access support as needed. The Government periodically reviews land requirements needed for the project and updates the extent of safeguarding accordingly.A copy of the Safeguarding Directions will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses and made publicly accessible online.

Planning Update

Andrew Stephenson: I have been asked by my Right Honourable Friend, the Secretary of State to make this Written Ministerial Statement. This statement confirms that it has been necessary to extend the deadline for a decision for the A1 in Northumberland – Morpeth to Ellingham Development Consent Order under the Planning Act 2008. The extension is in light of the Written Statement made by the Secretary of State on 26 May 2022 regarding the Union Connectivity Review HCWS62 The proposed development comprises the widening of approximately 12.8 miles stretch of the A1 between Morpeth to Ellingham with approximately 9 miles online widening and approximately 3.8 miles of new offline highway. The Secretary of State received the Examining Authority’s report on 5 October 2021 and the original deadline for a decision was extended from 5 January 2022 to 5 June 2022 following a Written Ministerial Statement laid on 15 December 2021 to allow for further consideration of environmental matters.The deadline for a new decision is 5 December 2022. The decision to set a new deadline is without prejudice to the decision on whether to grant development consent for the above application.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Contingent Liability Notification: Ukraine Guarantee

James Cleverly: Today, I have laid a departmental Minute which describes a liability the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) are undertaking to support the economic stability of Ukraine after the Russian invasion in March 2022.It is normal practice, when a Government Department proposes to undertake a contingent liability in excess of £300,000 for which there is no specific statutory authority, for the Minister concerned to present a departmental minute to Parliament giving particulars of the liability created and explaining the circumstances; and to refrain from incurring the liability until 14 parliamentary sitting days after the issue of the statement, except in cases of special urgency.The FCDO will guarantee a further USD500 million or EUR-equivalent (approximately EUR464 million or GBP396 million at current exchange rates) of financing by the World Bank to the Government of Ukraine. It will enable USD500 million of additional World Bank financing to the Government of Ukraine.The UK announced an intention to guarantee a further USD500 million of financing from the World Bank to the Government of Ukraine on April 9 2022. If, during the period of 14 parliamentary sitting days beginning on the date on which this Minute was laid before Parliament, a member signifies an objection by giving notice of a Parliamentary Question or by otherwise raising the matter in Parliament, final approval to proceed with incurring the liability will be withheld pending an examination of the objection.The exact length of the liability is dependent on the agreed loan by the World Bank but is expected to last up to 25 years. FCDO would only pay official development assistance if a default occurs as agreed with the World Bank. The departmental Minute sets this out in detail.HM Treasury has approved the proposal in principle and the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee has been notified.I am placing today a copy of the departmental Minute in the Library of the House.

Ministry of Defence

Armed Forces Pay Review Body Chair Appointment

Leo Docherty: I am pleased to announce that the Prime Minister has appointed Mr Julian Miller as the next Chair of the Armed Forces’ Pay Review Body. His appointment will commence on 17 June 2022 and run until 16 June 2025.The appointment was conducted in accordance with the 2016 Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Department for International Trade

Publication of report pursuant to Section 42 of the Agriculture Act 2020 on the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement

Anne-Marie Trevelyan: The Government has, today, laid before Parliament a report on the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement. The report is required under Section 42 of the Agriculture Act 2020, prior to the agreement being laid before Parliament for formal scrutiny under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 (CRaG).The Government has always been clear that we will not compromise on the UK’s high environmental protection, animal welfare and food safety standards in our trade negotiations. This report, which draws on independent advice from the Trade and Agriculture Commission[1], Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland, confirms the Government’s view that the UK-Australia FTA is consistent with the maintenance of UK statutory protections in these areas.This report is intended to inform and support scrutiny of the UK-Australia agreement prior to its ratification and entry into force. The text of the UK-Australia agreement was published on 16th December 2022 and will be formally laid before Parliament for scrutiny under the provisions of CRaG in due course. [1] TAC advice published on 13th April 2022 at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-australia-fta-advice-from-trade-and-agriculture-commission